THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2005

DA BROWN: QUEENS MAN ARRAIGNED ON CHARGES OF ATTEMPTING TO RAPE 73-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IN KISSENA PARK; FACES UP TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown today announced that a 22-year-old Bayside man has been arraigned on felony charges of sexually assaulting and attempting to rape an elderly woman in a Queens park. The victim had just completed Tai Chi exercises when the incident occurred.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Robert McKeon, 22, of 61-92 219th Street in Bayside, Queens. The defendant has been charged with Attempted Rape in the First Degree, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and Assault in the Second Degree. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison and would also have to register as a sex offender.

The District Attorney noted that the incident marks the second time this week that a member of the public has allegedly been sexually attacked in a Queens park. On Monday, Peter Belegrinos, 25, of 20-64 24th Street in Astoria, was charged with attempting to kidnap three children from Astoria Park and sexually assaulting one of them – a 9-year-old girl. Bail was set at $50,000 in that case and the case was adjourned to August 29, 2005.

District Attorney Brown said, “Queens has more parkland than any other borough in New York City, and people – young or old, male or female – should be able to enjoy a day in the park without fear of being brutally attacked, sexually or otherwise. Perpetrators of such heinous crimes are put on notice that my office will vigorously prosecute such cases to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to the District Attorney, it is charged that, on August 10, 2005 at Kissena Park, near Peck Avenue and Kissena Boulevard, the 73-year-old woman was walking when she was suddenly tackled and knocked to the ground by the defendant. At that point, it is alleged that the defendant then partially disrobed her and pulled her shirt over her face in order to prevent her from seeing him. He then allegedly pressed his groin area against her buttocks before digitally assaulting her with his finger while sexually relieving himself through self-gratification. The complaint further charges that when the defendant saw police officers arrive, he fled into some nearby bushes where he was found by police officers a short time later. The victim sustained broken blood vessels in her eye, as well as contusions to her head, eye, shoulder and torso.

The defendant was arraigned earlier today before Queens Criminal Court Judge Lenora Gerald who set bail at $175,000 and a return date of August 29, 2005.

Assistant District Attorney Eric C. Rosenbaum, Chief, of the District Attorney’s DNA Prosecutions Unit, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Marjory D. Fisher, Bureau Chief of District Attorney Brown’s Special Victims Bureau, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Charles A. Testagrossa and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.

It should be noted that criminal charges are merely accusations and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.